Tribulation
by SangariaSweetness
Summary: It was the way Naruto had looked at him, his heart in his eyes, that made Sasuke furious. Naruto wasn’t supposed to look at him like that. No one was allowed and least of all Naruto.


Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**Tribulations**

It was the way Naruto had looked at him, his heart in his eyes, that made Sasuke furious. Naruto wasn't supposed to look at him like that. No one was allowed and least of all Naruto.

It seemed to mean everything Sasuke had dared to dream of, free from the binding coils of vengeance. A real family, _"With you, I wondered if that was what having a brother was like."_ happiness and security to be great, no pressure to be a fucking fantastic. No pale bodies lying on wooden floors or wheeling blood crazed Sharigan eyes. Just happiness, simplicity and rivalry between friends.

His crackling blue hand, tore through Naruto's chest and he slowly pulled it back out again. Naruto's blood sliding and dripping, red rivulets on his hand.

Die..Die..DIE.

And Sasuke's innocence, the little scrap left after what his brother did, died.

* * *

The next time that Sasuke met Naruto, he admitted that he wasn't in his sanest disposition. Well, heck, he hadn't been in a long time. He found it amusing that Naruto still looked like an idiot and was generally the same impulsive dobe as before. The fucker. 

And oh, Sakura was there too. Still pink as ever.

Sasuke felt a little partial to Sakura, being a girl and all. As long as she didn't get in his way…

But Naruto. Naruto was a boy. A boy with sun hair and sky eyes. The same boy that Sasuke had thought, dreamed and had nightmares about every second when he wasn't thinking of his brother being crushed into white bone dust beneath his fingers. Uchiha blood crusty under his finger nails.

He was going to pound Naruto into ground.

A slithery lick of smirking lips, Uchiha Sasuke was amused.

Of course, as always, he had to rip his brother's entrails out first.

* * *

The fight with Orochimaru had been much harder than the one with his brother. 

Itachi had given up near the end. Whether it was because Sasuke was stronger or Itachi was tired of waiting for Sasuke to become stronger and decided that if he wanted to die in this century, Sasuke's hellish chidori was a good choice as any, no one really knows. Whatever. Sasuke impaled his brother's body through with his improved chidori. In much the same way that he had once impaled Naruto's chest. Funny _that._

Orochimaru on the other hand had no wishes to die anytime soon. Not this century and certainly not the next. It was quite evident during the last moments of his life, that Orochimaru lived by the principle of "If I can't have it, no one will." But they had pulled through. Mind you, it took a lot of shouting from Naruto, _"I promised Sakura-chan that I would bring you back. And I am not going to let you leave, you bastard."_, and a lot of slimy twisting chakra inside Sasuke before they finally collaborated to rid the world of Orochimaru.

Sasuke still wasn't the sanest person afterwards. He had developed curious, well curious feelings. Warm, ticklish sensations that spread through his heart and made him sick to his stomach when he saw Naruto. Was this an after effect of Orochimaru?

Sasuke felt rather disappointed that he hadn't really killed anyone in a clean arc with his own power. But, looking at the joy on Naruto's face when Orochimaru's curse faded away from the curve between his shoulder and his neck, Sasuke decided that he didn't care all that much. Not that much anyway.

* * *

When Sasuke woke up, months and days after a particularly bad mission, he was not surprised to see a teary Sakura and a pissed and moody Rokudaime. 

:"Sasuke-kun." And he was enveloped, crushed really, in a pink hug.

Naruto scowled, behind Sakura.

"Bastard.."

"Dobe."

That night, while he was lying rather pathetically on the hospital bed, the Rokudaime gently kissed Sasuke. It was the secret sort of kiss. The kind that happens when one thinks the other is asleep. But Sasuke hadn't slept in a long time. Not since joining Orochimaru and being plagued every night by sunny hair and sky blue eyes. Not since the funny ticklish warmth that spread every time Naruto, the idiot, smiled.

When Sasuke's eyes opened, Naruto had a sad sort of smile. A resigned to fate kind of smile. And Sasuke never knowing Naruto to resign himself to fate, he had heard the whole story from Neji, felt inexplicably panicked.

So he did what any normal guy would do ..well actually Sasuke did what he wanted and screw normal.

Sasuke Uchiha pulled a startled Naruto close and kissed him hard.

It wasn't perfect, or actually that good. But still Sasuke couldn't find a single moment, not even when he killed his brother, in his life where he felt like _this_.

It was just too bad he had to wait awhile before the real action could happen.

* * *

The last time Sasuke talked to Naruto was four weeks ago, when Sasuke and Hinata's engagement was sealed in a prick of their blood. Naruto had watched impassively along with the Hyuuga elders, dressed in his Hokage cloak and Sasuke had wanted to kiss him right there, in front of everyone. Just. To. Get. Some. Reaction. 

Of course that would've been utterly foolish, as Neji would have killed him, slowly. And Naruto would have probably pushed him away, rip out his heart and stuff it back in through his throat.

Naruto looked blankly _through_ Sasuke.

Sasuke knew this was the best for both of them.

The Sharingan would die after mixing with Hyuuga blood.

Naruto would have a normal family that Sasuke cannot give him. Naruto would finally have what he always wanted. And perhaps, later on, he will learn to forgive Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at Hinata. She looked at the floor. Neji glared. Naruto looked through them all.

Congratulations he had later said.

Congratulations.

The last time Sasuke heard Naruto's voice was four weeks ago.

* * *

This is a one shot. But it's not really a finished one shot. I believe that sasunaru fans should use their own imagination to form what you believe is the best ending.

For me this was an introspective piece into Sasuke's feelings for Naruto. Messed up. That's for sure.


End file.
